King's Council

Warning: This page contains spoilers!

Background
High King Aquilus sends riders to every King in the Banished Lands, calling a King's Council regarding the coming God-War.

Highlights
Veradis watches sparring matches between Rauca and Tull, with Tull victorious, then Kastell and Jael. Kastell wins with a knee to Jael's groin.

Aquilus opens the council by telling the attendants that the God-War is coming. Mandros does not take Aquilus seriously. As evidence, Aquilus states:

"The giants, attacking in force for the first time in generations. Lawless men multiplying, raiding, killing. Creatures, beasts prowling the dark places, bolder than ever before. And worse. The giant-stones, weeping blood."

Brenin and Romar back Aquilus. Brenin produces the white wyrm head that Evnis had given him as emphasis.

Meical reads a prophecy from a book he found in Drassil, written by Halvor, the giant, during the Scourging.

"''War eternal between the Faithful and the Fallen, infinite wrath come to the world of men. Lightbearer seeking flesh from the cauldron, to break his chains and wage the war again. Two born of blood, dust and ashes shall champion the Choices, the Darkness and Light. Black Sun will drown the earth in bloodshed, Bright Star with the Treasures must unite. By their names you shall know them – Kin-Slayer, Kin-Avenger, Giant-Friend, Draig-Rider, Dark Power ’gainst Lightbringer. One shall be the Tide, one the Rock in the swirling sea. Before one, storm and shield shall stand; before the other, True-Heart and Black-Heart. Beside one rides the Beloved, beside the other, the Avenging Hand. Behind one, the Sons of the Mighty, the fair Ben-Elim, gathered ’neath the Great Tree. Behind the other, the Unholy, dread Kadoshim, who seek to cross the bridge, force the world to bended knee. Look for them when the high king calls, when the shadow warriors ride forth, when white-walled Telassar is emptied, when the book is found in the north. When the white wyrms spread from their nest, when the Firstborn take back what was lost, and the Treasures stir from their rest. Both earth and sky shall cry warning, shall herald this War of Sorrows. Tears of blood spilt from the earth’s bones, and at Midwinter’s height bright day shall become full night.''"

With that they set about debating the meaning of what Meical had read, its reliability, what to do if it was true, back and forth, back and forth.

King Aquilus proposes "That we agree to aid each other against our enemies, whether they be lawless men, corsairs, giants, or a horde of wyrms and twisted beasts from out of Forn. And that we also agree, when this Black Sun does reveal himself, that we unite and fight against him together." The Bright Star would lead them.

Five agree to join Aquilus' alliance: Romar, King of Isiltir, Brenin of Ardan, Braster of Helveth, Temel of the Sirak and Rahim of Tarbesh.

Nathair expresses misgivings at the absence of the Vin Thalun from the council.

Owain of Narvon wants to wait until Midwinter's Day to see if day becomes night. Aquilus accepts this and tells the council that his offer of alliance stands for all those who want to wait until Midwinter's Day.

During the following feast, Nathair begins politicking amongst the kings and barons to gain support for Aquilus' alliance. He becomes convinced that forging the Banished Lands into a single empire is the only way to defeat Asroth.

Attendees
-Aquilus

-Braster

-Brenin

-Gundul

-Heb

-Jael

-Kastell

-Mandros

-Meical

-Morcant

-Nathair

-Owain

-Rahim

-Rhin

-Romar

-Temel

-Tull

-Veradis